Sibongakonke Shoba
6 July 2009
Johannesburg — THE Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) says African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma jumped the gun when he called at the weekend for a merger of the two rival political parties in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Sunday Times reported that Zuma told the ANC KwaZulu- Natal provincial general council he planned to resume talks with IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi to convince the IFP to return "home".
"The IFP was an ANC project, a way of mobilising people when we were underground. This went wrong. But we are now above the ground and it is time for them to come home," the Sunday Times quoted Zuma as saying.
IFP secretary-general Musa Zondi told Business Day the two parties needed to hold reconciliatory talks before any discussion of a merger could resume.
"If he speaks about the merger he is putting the cart before the horse," Zondi said.
Two weeks ago, Zondi said he had approached ANC Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to revive the talks between the two parties. "So talks are going on. There are discussions on how we could bring about reconciliation. He (Zuma) can't jump to a conclusion before the talks are properly explored and concluded."
Zondi said there was "unfinished business" between the ANC and the IFP, which had resulted in the deaths of more than 20000 people since 1979.
"The ANC and the IFP were partners in arms, but that relationship broke down in 1979."
The IFP was formed by Buthelezi -- a former member of the ANC Youth League. The two parties had a close relationship , but things turned sour when Buthelezi veered away from the ANC to pursue his own political ambitions . IFP supporters clashed with United Democratic Front supporters in the 1980s and this violence continued during the 1990s before and after SA's first democratic election.
Zuma is praised for holding discussions with the IFP that brought about political stability in KwaZulu-Natal in the 1990s. However, sporadic clashes still take place in some areas, especially during election campaigns.
Zondi said Zuma's predecessors, Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki , had tried to lure the IFP into merging with the ANC, but both attempts failed.
He warned that talks of a merger could jeopardise the reconciliation initiatives.
"It might actually kill the whole thing," he said.
The IFP leadership recently came under fire from some of its structures after the party's dismal performance in the last general election .
The IFP Youth Brigade leadership in KwaZulu-Natal proposed that all non-performing party MPs, MPLs, mayor s and councillors be recalled from their positions as "they were to blame" for the loss at the election .
The provincial youth brigade also said it has lost confidence in the party leadership, headed by Buthelezi. The youth leaders who made this call have since been suspended.
The party will hold its elective conference next month, where unhappy party members plan to elect new blood to top positions.
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